Tokyo Unnatural Forensics

Chapter 558, All Living Beings Suffer!
Although Eiji Watanabe repeatedly emphasized that there would be no preferential treatment, the Special Missions Unit still received preferential treatment. The SAT members on site, led by Captain Yusuke Godai, cleared the way ahead and firmly refused to allow Muneyuki Uesugi and others to approach the dangerous area. The Special Missions Unit was only allowed to approach the areas that they had searched. On the other hand, Inspector Sho Shiratori and Inspector Shinichiro Kosaka of the First Investigation Division were also sent to search more suspicious and difficult-to-operate areas, leaving the easier path to Muneyuki Uesugi and others.

Moreover, in an extremely rare occurrence, the Special Missions Unit was permitted to be equipped with a rifle—an M4A1—which is now in the hands of Date Chomune, since he is the only one among the group present with Self-Defense Force experience who knows how to use a rifle.

Towering ancient trees blocked out the sky, making the forest dark and gloomy even in the daytime. The sound of the helicopter became distant and muffled, and an unsettling silence enveloped the surroundings, broken only by the rustling of fallen leaves and volcanic rocks underfoot. The air was filled with the unique scent of decaying earth and plants.

After marching for about twenty minutes, Date Chomune, who was walking on the flank, suddenly stopped. His face looked somewhat pale in the dim light of his tactical flashlight.

“Section Chief, Chief,” he called out hoarsely, pointing behind a dense thicket of bushes. “Come quick, look at this!”

The group immediately became alert and quickly dispersed in tactical formation. However, there were no traps or enemies as expected. Pushing aside the tangled bushes, they found the severely decomposed female corpse, almost blending into the fallen leaves and moss, lying quietly against a huge beech tree.

“So many corpses.” Okada Masayoshi put his hands on his hips and wrinkled his nose. Since entering the forest, the SAT team ahead had found at least a dozen corpses, all of which were marked with a highlighter. However, this particular corpse was either well hidden or died peacefully and naturally, so the SAT team did not notice it.

"This is a forest, it would be strange if there weren't any corpses here, right?" Kai Tō followed and took a look, then complained helplessly, "Every corpse here has a story."

"Huh? How do you know?" Igarashi asked with interest.

"Because of people who commit suicide... Look~ It's one thing that Okada-san and Nango-san don't know, but how come Igarashi, you also..." Kai Tsutomu, hands on hips: "Look?"

“It’s a suicide note.” Nango Yuiya said, hands on his hips.

Based on the backpack and small, not-yet-completely-weathered items left at the scene, they quickly identified the deceased as not the perpetrator they were hunting.

The daring Erina Ikeda discovered a relatively intact envelope carefully wrapped in plastic sheeting next to the body. Inside was a suicide note with neat handwriting, yet conveying endless weariness and a sense of relief.

"...I divorced Tomoya, that scumbag...shameless, enough is enough, I've had enough too. Anyway, I finally won custody of our son..."

"...Becoming a mother is the proudest thing in my life. No matter what, I will raise Yuuto to adulthood and not let him be ruined by that scoundrel. No matter what, I will persevere..."

"...I had no money. That jerk refused to pay child support. My parents told me they were already struggling to survive, and to let them go. But who would let me and Yongren go? I worked two jobs, but it still wasn't enough, far from enough. So I dialed that number again..."

"Unfortunately, I'm already over 30. Even as an amateur, my rate is only 10,000 yen per person, and if I don't get enough people to specifically request me, it will drop to 8,000 yen. I have to work harder..."

"...Finally, I have money now, but from the day he discovered the truth and looked at me with those eyes, I knew I had to persevere until the day he no longer needed me... Now, he's been admitted to a good university and has a bright future. It's time for me, this undignified mother, to disappear. Please don't blame him; he knows nothing. This was my own choice, for him, and for the burden I can finally put down... I have no regrets."

"If anyone sees this letter, please do nothing and just let me disappear, okay? This is my last wish as a mother."

Reina Ikeda clenched her fists tightly, turned her head away, and couldn't bear to look at the skeleton anymore.

The seasoned Kai Toru silently knelt before the corpse, sighed deeply, and muttered a curse under his breath: "This damned world..."

Masayoshi Okada felt his eyes welling up with tears, but he tried to remain professional and said softly, "She, this mother... she was very clean and her clothes were neat."

This is a way to maintain final dignity at the end of life; it is this mother's last pride.

Acting Section Chief Nango Yui remained expressionless, but his tightly pursed lips and slightly heaving chest betrayed his emotions: "Actually, this lady could apply for many kinds of assistance, but... some people are just like that. They don't want to cause trouble for others, and they don't want to haggle with the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare officials about whether they meet many of the terms. It's a huge disgrace to them. They would rather end their lives alone, but it's not their fault. The old society turned people into ghosts, and our society is forcing good people into prostitution."

Nanxiang didn't say the rest, but everyone present knew that this woman must have gone into the sex industry, or even the kind of call girl who goes door-to-door for prostitution. Then one day, she was accidentally discovered by her son. When her son looked at her with shock, the only choice for this mother was to stay in the industry until her son was admitted to university, and then quietly disappear so that her son's classmates, friends and future colleagues would know that his mother had worked in such an industry.

Erina was so angry that her teeth itched, but she was helpless. How could she not know that this kind of business would make money the fastest?
In her early years, a sex worker offered her ten times her monthly salary of 230 million, but she beat him up so badly that he didn't even dare to call the police.

Uesugi Muneyuki stood silently before his proud mother, clasped his hands together, bent his noble back, and bowed deeply.

To all great mothers!

The members of the Special Missions Division also clasped their hands together and bowed.

To the greatness of maternal love.

Uesugi Muneyuki gazed intently at the remains for a moment, and after some thought, decided to respect the mother's last wish. She hadn't said her name, which meant she didn't want anyone to know, so he decided not to delve into it further.

Since this is your choice, I respect it. I hope your son, Yuuto, can understand your sacrifice and live a healthy and happy life.

Those who frequently commit suicide know that many people in Japan choose to disappear peacefully every year. Japan does not have a household registration system or ID cards, only personal health insurance cards and driver's licenses. So theoretically, anyone can change their name and identity and start a new life in a different place as long as they give up their current identity. However, some people choose to commit suicide peacefully to leave this world so as not to burden their relatives and friends, nor to let others see their embarrassing situation, and to preserve their dignity in the end.

As Uesugi Muneyuki called out, forensic personnel immediately came up to examine the body. Uesugi Muneyuki simply said, "It's suicide," and gestured for everyone to continue following him. "Alright, they'll handle the aftermath. Let's move on." Okada Masayoshi's voice was lower and hoarse than usual. He glanced around at the Special Missions Unit: "Remember what we're seeing now. The bastards we're trying to catch trample on life, while here... someone willingly entered this forest to protect what's most important. That's why we must stop the former."

"Yes." The group continued forward.

And so, along the way, the Special Missions Unit encountered many corpses, each one carrying a heavy story: the seriously ill, the desperate, the lifeless, the abandoned by all; the murdered, the suicides, the lost adventurers, and... the body dumped in the depths of the forest where no light could reach; the dead, the dead who had committed suicide, the dead who had gotten lost while exploring, and... the dead who had been dumped.

All beings are suffering.

Uesugi Muneyuki sensed the emotions attached to each corpse, and the eyes of Aizen Myō-ō above his head opened, the wrath of the Myō-ō burning.

Ikeda Erena, who was standing next to him, could sense Uesugi Muneyuki's emotional change. She took the initiative to squeeze Uesugi's hand to show that she would always be by his side.

Uesugi Muneyuki smiled apologetically, thinking to himself that it was no wonder that the environment of the forest could make people's will to live and die.

Sometimes, just living is exhausting, especially in a very oppressive society like Japan.

Japan's suicide rate has consistently ranked between 15th and 20th in the world.

South Korea is number one in the world.

Upon seeing this scene and environment, the Special Missions team members lost their initial joking and ease, becoming much more silent.

But just then, news came from the front!
The advance SAT task force has discovered signs of human habitation! They may have found a stronghold of the Sakikawa Restoration Army!

"Let's go!" Uesugi Muneyuki, Okada Masayoshi, Nango Yui and the others exchanged glances and immediately headed in the direction of the signal!

Two hours after the large-scale encirclement and suppression operation began.

Such a massive search has finally yielded results!
When Uesugi Muneyuki arrived, the thick canopy of trees shattered the sunlight, and the air was filled with the scent of moss and decaying plants.

Fully armed SAT team members surrounded the dilapidated abandoned wooden cabin in the forest clearing as if facing a formidable enemy, the red dot lasers of sniper rifles flickering on the door panels and windows.

"Everyone inside! Get out immediately with your hands behind your heads!" The loudspeaker's voice echoed through the silent forest.

"We've located you!"

"Stop hiding, we know you have connections!"

"Get out now, or we'll break down the door!"

The dilapidated door of the wooden house creaked open.

However, instead of the menacing terrorists one might have imagined, a thin, gray-haired man wearing chemically stained overalls appeared. He looked to be around 60 years old, his face etched with the lines of time and the hardships of long-term seclusion, but his eyes burned with an unusual flame, a mixture of madness and composure.

Ugh?
The police superintendent Ichijo, who was in charge of the scene, and the police superintendent Higurashi, who was in charge of the investigation, were taken aback.

Old man?

How could it be an old man?

Wait, this isn't right, is it? The name "Sakikawa Restoration Army" sounds so childish, only young people would come up with that.
Is there something wrong?

However, when Uesugi Muneyuki arrived at the scene, his pupils widened the moment he saw the old man.

This feeling? Could it be...?
“Yes, it’s him!” he exclaimed.

"What?" Both Inspector Ichijo and Inspector Higurashi were taken aback.

"Yes, this is the person we're looking for!!!"

(End of this chapter)